American Idol: Judges not raving about Crystal Bowersox ‘Come To My Window’ (VIDEO)

For her own song choice on last night’s American Idol, former frontrunner Crystal Bowersox selected Melissa Etheridge’s Come To My Window, “a song about passion and love” as she described it. Crystal was all kitted out with a harmonica and an acoustic guitar and I liked the vote-based opening line “I would dial the numbers just to listen to your breath”, very clever!

However the dreadlocked one seemed truly lost for the first time: she looked a tiny bit vacant on the stage and seemed to be struggling with her vocals slightly. This was not the powerhouse performer we saw a few weeks ago, and I wonder if the lukewarm responses from the judges lately have hit her self-confidence. If this was the problem, then last night’s comments can’t have done her any good at all.

Judges Comments:

* Randy: It’s that time in the competition, looking for a winner, looking to see who’s gonna blow it outta the box. I did not love the arrangement. It’s an amazing song, but what I did like is I loved your vocal on it. The arrangement was fighting you a little bit, but you rose above it with your vocal. I tell you what, it all worked in the end. Good song choice for you.

* Ellen: I agree, I think it was a good song choice. It’s the exact kind of song that you want to sing as the artist that you want to be. So that’s your comfort zone. I thought Melissa would be very proud of you.

* Kara: I agree with the guys, and I do think you got a little lost in the arrangement. You were fighting. Your tone doesn’t have the rasp and the edge that Melissa has, so I think acoustically it would have been a little bit stronger. But it was still a good vocal. I just think you are capable of a moment and I hope you have a moment tonight.

* Simon: I agree with what the others have said. I don’t think this is the most stunning version of the song we’re ever gonna hear. Having said that, what I like about you and what you did tonight is that from the very first day we met you until right here in the semi-final, you haven’t compromised yourself as an artist. I have a lot of respect for you for that. Because you came out here and you just decided to do what’s you. It’s a very honest performance and I think you probably made the right choice.